FP-Growing Pains
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Ed you just have to realize the real reason it hurts and you're angry. Growing pains aren't easy for either of you. Based on eppy 1.04 'Asking for Flowers'


**Title: Growing Pains**

**Summary:** Ed you just have to realize the real reason it hurts. Growing pains aren't easy for either of you. Based on eppy 1.04 'Asking for Flowers'

**Disclaimer: **Ah you know write? Ed's with me and well yeah that's about it…lol

**A/N:** Okay so I thought for sure I was gonna stop these for a bit and just concentrate on my current stories but blame my hard working muse Alice for finding yet antoehr juicy Ed/Wordy plot bunny to chase down the rabbit hole and come up with this. So we hope you all like it and thanks.

_"Words in italics and double quotes – directly from the eppy."_

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><p><em>"So you really sit around and watch those movies with your kids or what?" Ed asks Wordy in sarcasm.<em>

_"Yeah."_

_"Huh."_

_"I got girls…its different right? You got a boy."_

_"No I know…it's just he's a good kid…great kid. It's just awkward. You know I love rock music, he plays the Cello. Loves basketball, hates hockey. Last week…he came home, big fat lip right. Won't tell me what happened. Turns out this kid at school…had a hassle and he told the teacher. Kid waited for him after school and…what are ya gonna do."_

_"Well what are you gonna do?" Wordy inquires._

_"I don't know. You know Soph wants to go to the school and we'll talk."_

_"So go to the school…find out about it…what's going on."_

_"No. It'll make it worse. Clark needs to stand up on his own two feet."_

_"He's 13 years old."_

_"Exactly."_

_"Well no wonder he doesn't want to talk to you about it."_

_"You know what Wordy…you got three girls…so…" zip it, Ed gestures unspokenly. _

_"Yeah 3 girls, a real walk in the park…they never do anything wrong."_

_"You know what…whatever," Ed grumbles before he slams his locker shut and leaves his best friend alone in the locker room._

_"Oh yeah….that's mature." _

Wordy didn't have to ask his best friend the real reason for his pissy mood that morning. Cop's kid…all cop's kids were usually targets for sometimes seemingly stupid or even nonexistent reasons. Clark saw something he didn't like and he had been raised to always do what's right and tell the proper authorities. But Wordy could tell that it wasn't the simple retaliation from the kid that bothered Ed the most, and maybe not even Clark's not telling him right up front. It was Ed's inner feelings that were eating away at him.

Wordy's mind quickly thinks back to when he first told Wordy that Sophie was pregnant and how uncertain he was of becoming a father.

_'What are you afraid of? You turned out well…'_

_'My old man was a hard ass Wordy,' Ed sighed. 'I barely survived. Me as a father…damn I hope it's a girl.'_

_'Either way you're gonna be fine. And if not…well you know I'll always be here to keep you in line.'_

_'Just remind me I'm being a dumb ass when I start acting like him okay?'_

_'You got it.'_

Today was that day. Inside he knows Ed's blaming himself for his lack of communication with Clark but that was the example set for him by his own father. Wordy knows he's lucky, as his father always fostered open communication which in turn grew mutual respect, Ed's father taught him that when he needed to know something he would, otherwise everything was assumed fine. But he could see the frustration growing for Ed and knows if his best friend isn't careful, he could lose his son in more ways than one.

Ed watches Wordy come into the room and curses himself inwardly. He hadn't meant to go off on his best friend the way he did but just sometimes it bothered him that Wordy seemed to have the perfect family arrangement while his was a constant struggle. Clark was a great kid as far as he was concerned, and maybe they didn't talk enough like Wordy and his girls but he always told himself that when Clark needed something he'd come to him. Now he was forced to see his father's imperfections in his own failings and it was starting to slowly eat away at his insides.

_"Patrol day…" _Greg tells him and he just stifles a groan; his mind wanting a hot call to distract his thoughts from the tense situation with his son and the recent fight at school.

_'Clark what the hell is this? You got into a fight? What the hell happened?'_

He had demanded everything in anger and then got frustrated when he heard Sophie suggest they actually go to the school and talk to the kid with the problem.

_'Oh yeah that'll teach him to fight his own battles,' Ed had spouted in frustration. 'What will kids think then? They can just bully Clark and his parents will show up to fight his battles?'_

_'He's a kid Ed and right now he needs you to fight on his side.'_

_'If we fight every battle…Soph he has to grow up sometime.'_

But that was another excuse purported by memories of hearing his father say the exact same things when he was Clark's age. Sure enough, the next problem he got into, another fight at school, he never told his father or his mother and dealt with it on his own. Course he never told them that the two kids he chose to pick the fight with ended up giving him bruises he had to cover for a few weeks, but he told himself that if he was the only one concerned about it then it didn't matter.

Now he was forcing Clark to walk the same path; no wonder his son was running in the opposite direction from him.

XXXXXXXX

As soon as they get into the SUV's, Wordy knows that the short break in the team room hasn't done much to cool his best friends hot temper nor put a damper on his agitated state.

_"Wordy…take parliament street. Somebody's gotta be beatin' someone up over there…...Well can you go any slower or do you wanna just stop? I'm cool with that. Stop the car."_

Ed Lane backed into a corner by someone else isn't as scary as Ed Lane backed into a corner by himself. Wordy knows that about his friend…but how to help with these obvious growing pains? That would require paitence most of all.

_"What is your problem?" _Wordy dares to fire back, knowing that he could make things worse and even more tense.

_"I don't have a problem," Ed lies in haste._

_"In my opinion alright…your kid gets into some trouble, you go into the school, you figure it out. What? That how I feel."_

_"Shelly teach you that?" Ed retorts offhandedly._

_"Oh...boy..." Wordy just shakes his head and offers a laugh that says you might play the big old mean card but right now don't push me because I could take you on and win. _

_"Go braid some hair and express your emotions Wordy…you know…whatever."_

_"No you know what Shelly taught me…don't be a victim…don't be a perpetrator and above all don't be a bystander."_

But then a call comes through and Ed merely tosses him a flippant glance before he speaks to the caller, very thankful in his mind to have the distraction instead of trying to come up with an excuse as to why he's been the passive bystander in his sons life and it was now coming back to bite him in the ass.

The call led to a case of domestic abuse, a case that always forces Wordy to be grateful for the amazing wife he has and wants nothing more than to get home to her, hold her close and just assure her that she's the most amazing thing in the world and he's nothing like the monsters he puts away. But first – he has to help another call for help.

"Hey Spike…you seen Ed?" Wordy asks as he enters the locker room.

"Hey was here…check the showers...or not…I mean…" Spike stammers.

"Yeah I got it," Wordy smirks as he heads for the showers. But upon hearing the stillness heads back to Ed's locker only to find it open but his street clothes still inside. With a small shake of his head, he goes to the one place he knows he can find his best friend trying to blow off steam.

Sure enough Wordy rounds the corner to the shooting range and sees Ed in one of the booths firing for all he's worth. The shots at first are steady and then turn rapid as his frustration grows.

"Whoa there dirty harry, I think you got him," Wordy's fingers gently push down Ed's left hand as his right lowers the gun and then removes his heavy earmuffs.

"What?"

"Okay look you reminded me once…before Clark was born to tell you when you are being a dumb ass…well I'm telling you now…you're being a dumb ass…in fact you've been one all day."

"You know what…I don't care," Ed huffs as he turns to leave.

"Typical."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means you're not your father so stop trying to find ways to be him and reject him at the same time. You're pissed at yourself…admit it."

"Clark shoulda known better."

"Than what? Obey the rules? Uphold the law? That's the pot calling the kettle black don'tcha think?"

"You're just full of witty stuff today," Ed groans as he tries to walk past. "Wordy get out of my way."

"Your father had two boys Ed, you live what you're taught. Me? I had sisters and now I have girls…the one thing about girls is they like to talk…they express, they cry, they do whatever they have to to get everything out in the open and then it's all better."

"Wordy…"

"It's just you and me right now, so you don't have to worry about not being seen as the big tough wolf in front of you son okay?"

"The Cello," Ed sighs. "If it was the guitar, I'd get it…by why the Cello, it's so…"

"Wimpy?"

"And we're in Canada, hockey's our sport. I mean basketball?" Ed shakes his head as he turns and wanders toward the work out area. "I don't even know my son Wordy…what the hell kind of father am I?"

"An imperfect one like the rest of us."

"Your life is perfect," Ed huff.

"Trust me it takes a lot of hard work. You remember the time you told me you got a part in that school skit based on…"

"Wordy…" Ed groans as he stops and looks at his best friend with a heavy frown.

"Star Trek," Wordy chuckles and Ed just rolls his eyes and turns around. "And you tried to tell your dad in a round about way and he said science fiction was for retards and that school plays were a stupid waste of time and no kid of his was ever gonna like something like that. Remember?"

"I never told you that."

"Roy did because he said you told him how excited you were because you were gonna play opposite some cute girl. But your old man made it clear what he thought and you dropped it pretty fast. Then after that you got into another fight and…"

"Wordy…" Ed tries again.

"The point is, he stifled that willingness to confide in him and you never did again and I know you'd do anything to go back and change that."

"I would," Ed confesses in a soft tone, his tense back still to Wordy.

"What are you afraid of?" Wordy's fingers rest on Ed's shoulder and gently turn him around. "Ed, I know for a fact Clark thinks the world of you…but have you ever just stopped to ask him why he chose the Cello over rock? Or why basketball when we don't even have a national team here…well at least not a very good one," Wordy smirks. "Okay I'm not a fan either."

"I get that Clark wants to do what's right but…going to the school…the whole sit down and talk with the teachers thing…Wordy that's your thing."

"Right but are you sure then that Clark knows you're interested in him?"

"I go to parent teacher night," Ed spouts in his defense.

"Fine and I'm not saying you have to do the whole sit down talk thing, that's what works for us," Wordy states seriously. "But you do have to talk to your son."

"Right because I'm so good at that. Why don't you go talk to him…you know watch sappy movies and express yourself."

"Ed…"

"Wordy I'm kidding," Ed smirks and then turns serious. "Just not good at this stuff you know?"

"Because we learned differently. Ed you just have to realize the real reason it hurts. Growing pains aren't easy for either of you and that's what's happening here."

"Wish I had your dad growing up, mighta made things easier."

"Probably," Wordy shrugs. "Never too late to start now right? Look…just be his friend. I know you can do that."

"I can," Ed nods in agreement, shoving his hands in his pockets and exhaling heavily.

"You honestly think I enjoy watching those sappy movies?"

"Maybe."

"Seriously five minutes in and I'm pretty much ready to slit my wrists," Wordy groans as he rubs his face with his hands. "But then I hear the girls talking about boys and how some of the girls on the shows are treated, do they agree, don't they, why do they and so on…and it lets me see what they are thinking. And then if I hear something I don't really like at least I have an in to ask them. Trust me I'm out numbered in my household, I gotta do whatever it takes. I mean damn it Ed, what's the first word in our motto…"

"Connect."

"Gotta be with family first right?"

"Right because if we can't connect with family how can we connect with strangers. Basketball. It's not even a real sport," Ed slightly snorts as he just shakes his head and then looks away.

"It's bonding time."

"He'll probably kick my ass."

"Well…Ed…someone needs to," Wordy's fist playfully punches his best friends shoulder. "Trust me…you won't regret it."

"I always figured he'd just naturally want to follow my lead. Seeing that he doesn't I…" Ed pauses as he turns back. "I guess I figured I'd leave him be and that'd be it. When I get home, he sometimes nods and that's it and…now I feel like that bystander in my son's life and I know it's my fault."

"But it's not too late right?"

"No I guess not," Ed nods as his face finally relaxes. "My dad didn't care. He liked rock, I liked rock. He liked hockey, I liked hockey. Whatever he did I did. He never asked and I was fine. I know Clark's not fine, I just...no I know I gotta try harder," Ed looks at Wordy who nods. "Sorry I was such a…"

"Dumb ass?" Wordy smirks.

"Fine a dumb ass earlier. I was outta line."

"Trust me Ed, I've known you long enough to know when you pull out that card to protect yourself emotionally. I know when to back off and just let you stew about something because usually it's not that important. And I know when to push like I am now because I know you'd want me to becuase it is important."

"Girls…I don't know what to tell you about girls."

"No worries," Wordy snickers. "I get lots of help in that department; Shelly has two sisters."

"I suppose you do."

The two of them slowly head out of the now darkened workout room and back into their locker room, talking lightly about weekend plans and the days events. Ed looks over at Wordy as he's talking about something and smiles at his best friend. Wordy was right, he was probably the only one with the insight into his moods, knowing when to back off and when to answer his silent call for help like he did today. He had long envied Wordy's family growing up and now he sometimes does envy his marriage; although he'd never openly admit it to anyone.

"See you tomorrow."

"So movie night tonight?" Ed asks as he and Wordy head for the exit doors.

"No, tonight's my choice thankfully."

"And do they ever listen?" Ed arches his brows as he reaches for his phone.

"Well…still workin' on that," Wordy chuckles. "See you tomorrow."

Ed nods a friendly goodbye before he calls Clark on his personal cell phone. He could have called Sophie and said the same words to her:

_"Hey buddy…yeah tell your mom I'm on my way home."_

But to hear the happy tone in his sons voice cemented in his mind the last minute decision was the right one.

_"Hey…wanna play some driveway hoops?"_

To hear his son's enthusiastic response brings the first broad genuine smile to his face that had been mostly elusive for the better part of the day. It wasn't much, but it was a start. The last thing he would ever want is to be the catalyst that would drive his son away for good, so if it was to be growing pains then it would be something they would experience together.

_Thanks Wordy, _Ed's mind offers silently as he pulls into the driveway and sees Clark sitting on the steps with the basketball in his hands waiting for him. Basketball, he just shake his heads as he gets out and heads for his son. But the smile he is being greeted with tells him the sport he doesn't care much about dosen't matter as much as the quality time he's about to enjoy with his son.

"You really wanna play?" Clark asks in surprise.

"Yeah I do," Ed answers with a smile. "Hey, come here," Ed greets Clark with a warm hug, looking down at him with a tender gaze. "How was your day?"

**THE END!**

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><p><strong>AN:** Okay so just felt that there was something missing between Ed and Wordy's snippy conversation in the SUV until Ed called Clark at the end so wanted to touch on that for a bit and hope you all liked this. Thanks so much and please do review before you go! Most appreciated.


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